Cycling in England
Cycling is a fun, convenient and healthy way to get around. It’s an ideal way to explore the countryside, up close and at your own pace, stopping off to see the sights along the way and resting with a well-earned picnic or pub lunch! Moreover, England is blessed with the kind of rolling countryside that make it perfect for exploring by bike! Read on for ideas across the regions.
East Midlands
There is arguably no better way of exploring The Peak District and Derbyshire than on foot, or by bike. The new 12-page Walking & Cycling Breaks in the Peak District booklet provides full details, and also features an illustrative map - showing where a total of six creatively themed routes are located. Each one offers its own particular highlights from gritstone edges and real-ale country pubs to traffic-free paths, quiet country lanes and unspoilt countryside. Copies of the Walking & Cycling booklet can be obtained by telephoning 0870 2255 450, or can be ordered online at www.visitpeakdistrict.com/walk.
Empty lanes, a web of bridle paths and tracks, towpaths, Britain's fourth biggest county – Lincolnshire – has them all. And thanks to the wonderfully diverse landscape, the terrain can be as easy or taxing as you want. Add to this some spectacular scenery, picturesque villages, great tasting regional food and drink as well as friendly folk, and you've got the makings of a great cycling break!
Travel the whole length from Barton on the Humber, through historic Lincoln to Boston on the popular long distance Hull to Harwich cycle route.
East of England
Perfect for cycling, the East of England has a wealth of ancient trackways. There's a tempting treat for the senses around each corner – whether it's a picture book medieval village; a field of lavender; dark, rich fenland; a moated manor house or a home-made cream tea in a converted mill. There are some hills but very gentle ones, just steep enough to make you feel you've earned that pint at the next welcoming pub!
There are numerous cycle hire centres where you can hire a range of bikes for anything from just a few hours to a few days. You can also find companies who will happily organise a cycling holiday for you, providing you with cycles, arranging your accommodation and transferring your luggage. Find out more about cycling in the East of England
England’s Northwest
How about a bit of Roman history on your bike ride? Hadrian's Cycleway can offer it! Even part of the Pennine Cycleway meanders through the picturesque Eden Valley (www.visiteden.co.uk/). If you're after the less strenuous routes, try the Eden Valley Circular Cycle Route, providing the option of cycling as much or as little as you like of the 112m route.
For more information visit www.visitenglandsnorthwest.com/cycling
Heart of England
Whatever your skills or stamina there is a cycle ride for you in the Heart of England. Country lanes and tow-paths meander through market towns and villages offering great places to stop for a bite to eat or mooch around an antiques shop. From a 100-mile cycle epic to a gentle potter around, or steep valley sides to flat easy riding, there isn't an excuse not to get on your bike and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the Heart of England.
Visit the website of Wheely Wonderful Cycling (www.wheelywonderfulcycling.co.uk/), the Heart of England's award-winning cycle holiday company providing over 50 cycling holidays in Shropshire & Herefordshire for more ideas and information. Shropshire tempts with demanding hills and valleys to keep the most dedicated mountain biker happy. Herefordshire provides cyclists with the chance to follow the Cider Cycling Route and discover how traditional cider is made.
In Warwickshire you can retrace the steps of Shakespeare in some of Britain's prettiest landscape whilst sampling local food and drink, but for solitude head to the Peak District in Staffordshire with its endless views and windswept breathtaking landscape.
London
London is a world class cycling city and when you cycle here, you'll see why – Londoners on bike escape the car traffic, see the green and hidden parts of the city that others miss and get to enjoy the parks and cycle routes that run through the most beautiful areas. Visit the London Cycling Campaign (www.lcc.org.uk/) for detailed information on cycling in London.
The London Thames route passes through the central corridor of the Thames. Cyclists can enjoy a wide range of environments from the tranquillity of Richmond Park, past the famous sites of central London to the post industrial reclamation of the East End Basin. London cycling offers a unique way to see one of the world's most exciting cities. There are many options for interesting day rides along the way. This route links to the Thames Valley, Downs & Weald and Garden of England cycle routes. For more ideas and information on tours along the Thames and in the Garden of England visit the website of Capital Sport (www.cyclingtoursuk.com)
Find out more about London's Great Outdoors (www.visitlondon.com/outdoors)
North East England
Northumbria has some of the country's most spectacular signposted cycling routes. They criss-cross the region and take in some of the best places to visit. The C2C comes in from the west, linking Alston to Newcastle or Sunderland. It leads you through the wildly peaceful Durham Dales (www.durhamdales.co.uk/). The Reivers Route travels north west to Kielder, through cityscape and moorland from Tynemouth. The Coast and Castles Route takes in all the best beaches and castles between Bamburgh and Morpeth - honestly, nowhere else has views like this!
The White Rose route winds south to Hull out of Middlesbrough: and the Three Rivers Route links Tyneside, the Wear Valley and the Tees Valley, travelling along the breezy clifftops. Woodlanders will enjoy the Derwent Valley Route - really dazzling in Autumn. Of course, you don't need to be fit enough to cycle the whole route to enjoy any part of these trails. You can do as much - or as little - as you like. The major routes are worth trying because they link some excellent attractions - so the Coast and Castles lets you enjoy castles and beaches like Bamburgh, Dunstanburgh and Warkworth, or on the Reivers Route, take a break at the magnificent Victorian Cragside House near Rothbury.
South East England
Winding, quiet country lanes and pathways enable you to discover quintessentially English villages nestled deep into the corners of this region. Follow the picturesque Cuckoo Trail through East Sussex or the Meon Valley off Road Cycle Trail in Hampshire. The New Forest too has a number of great routes through ancient woodland. For a slightly faster, more unusual ride, hire a classic motorcycle for the day, maybe a Harley Davidson or a Norton. See the hedgerows fly by as you ride along the country lanes. Visit the website of Capital Sport (www.cyclingtoursuk.com) for 30 something tours covering rural Kent and its historic coast, and the River Thames from its source to the sea.
South West
The misty lanes of the Somerset Levels are a perfect location for road cyclists whose aim it is to get up speed and cover the miles without being bothered by endless traffic. For those with time and energy to spare, the 252 mile West Country Way which winds through the region from Bristol to Padstow, forms part of the National Cycle Network.
Devon has the Devon Coast to Coast trail which is 102 miles long. Cornwall contains a variety of coastal, moorland and valley trails as well as the famous Camel Trail – 17 carefree miles of cycling from Bodmin through Wadebridge to Padstow. For those who prefer biking under the shade of trees, weaving through the Forest of Dean is a waymarked circular cycle route created from a former railway line and dotted with friendly villages and numerous picnic sites. Shorter routes, such as the Bristol to Bath Cycle Path, are perfect for families seeking a day out on two wheels.
Yorkshire
For multi-day long distance adventures or shorter circular routes, choose from a number of National Cycle Network routes passing through Yorkshire and many other signed cycle routes. The Trans-pennine Way is a 350-mile national route for recreation and transport, while the White Rose Cycle Route takes in some of Yorkshire's finest scenery between the two bustling towns of Hull and Middlesbrough.
The beautiful York to Beningbrough day ride leaves the historic and picturesque city of York, a must on most visitors' itineraries, and wends its way north towards the impressive Beningbrough Hall and Gardens. This National Trust property gives a view of life in an English country house from Georgian to Victorian times and is well worth a visit. The route starts on the riverside path beside the River Ouse and follows a traffic-free trail for the first half, later turning into a quiet lane for the rest of the journey through the little villages of Overton and Shipton (where there is a café and pub if you fancy some refreshments) and on to Beningborough Hall.